


Kinship

by EyesOverEons



Category: Bleach, 鬼滅の刃 | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Anime)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Blood, Crossover, Gen, Some Plot, drabble-ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-24 16:22:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30074994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EyesOverEons/pseuds/EyesOverEons
Summary: On his quest to save his sister, Tanjiro stumbles across something he never expected to see: another muzzled demon being cared for by a human.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Kinship

**Author's Note:**

> Two important things before we begin:
> 
> 1\. This will not be a complete story. I have the beginning written and a handful of ideas for later scenes, but not much idea on how to connect them. I'd prefer to spend my energy finishing The Substitute, but I wanted to post this anyway instead of having it gather dust in my computer
> 
> 2\. Having only watched the 26 anime episodes, I have somewhat limited knowledge as far as Demon Slayer lore goes. That being said, I am having this story take place in that universe. So I may end up getting stuff wrong. Please excuse any lore-based errors. Thank you.

Tanjiro squinted at the setting sun in front of him, a light frown on his face. He paused, taking a second to look around, somewhat hoping that his Kasugai crow will swoop down and give him some better directions. He had been walking west for two days now on the vague instructions of the bird to a go towards a small village to the west, and an even more vague appearance of a note tied to its leg that read: 'Follow the river upstream.' He didn't recognize the handwriting, but it held the lingering scent of Lady Tamayo, which only served to confuse him more.

Nevertheless, he heeded her instruction, if Lady Tamayo was asking him to do something, it had to be important and possibly related to finding a cure for Nezuko's condition. Still, he really wished he had more to go on. He had found the village easy enough: a small collection of buildings that reminded him of the settlement down the mountain from his home in a way that made his heart _ache._ A quick shake of his head dislodged his wayward thoughts. There were more important things to focus on, like finding whatever it was supposedly waiting for him along the river.

He sighed and, for not the first time, wished his friends could have joined him. Since they had met up, it was rare for them to be sent separate ways. But Zenitsu was headed a little bit south of Tanjiro's location, and Inosuke was off doing- actually, Tanjiro wasn't quite sure what his boar-headed friend was up to, but it apparently required him to be on his own. Hopefully, the two would finish up their journeys quickly and be able to join him. At least he was able to let them know which direction to head to find him.

Another sigh escaped him. The sun was sinking quickly and there was still nothing that stood out to him. The river was broad and lazy, the forest around him quiet save for the occasional call of a bird. Nothing out of the ordinary. Unease grew in his gut. Back at the village, he had heard whispers of a cursed family and a pale spirit seen in the woods at night. The villagers mostly chalked it up to folklore, a scary story to keep kids from wandering too far into the woods. Tanjiro knew better. Stories like that, he had learned, more often than not held some truth to it, and the source was almost always a demon.

_Is that why Lady Tamayo wanted me to go here?_ He wondered, sitting down under the shade of a large pine tree. _But why? It can't be one of the Twelve Kizuki, can it? Did she find the location of one and send me towards it?_ _No. She wouldn't do that without giving me some sort of warning._

The sun finally dipped below the horizon and Tanjiro shrugged the box off his back, giving his shoulders a roll.

"You okay in there, Nezuko?" A hand rested lightly on the wood box.

A light _tap-tap-tap_ from inside counted as an affirmative.

"Do you want to come out? The sun's gone now."

Another three taps sounded out. The latches were undone quickly and the demon-girl shuffled out, rapidly stretching into her normal size. Tanjiro smiled softly, a sad sort of smile. His sister settled down next to him, pink eyes watching the sluggish water stream by. He took a deep breath, feeling a rare sense of peace. Before he even realized, his eyelids were fluttering closed.

His dreams were filled with the bitter familiarity of his lost life: the house where he grew up, the family that no longer exists. All through it, the smoky curl of charcoal hung heavy, a thick blanket over his senses. It was that very scent that dragged him to wakefulness.

Night was in full swing and Tanjiro wondered how long he was asleep. Nezuko, still next to him, apparently had not moved a single inch, save for gently guiding her brother's head to lean against her shoulder. She blinked down at him.

"Sorry, Guess I dozed off there." He removed his head from the impromptu pillow. Then, voice hesitant, "I had that dream again."

His sister's eyes shone with a lonely compassion, lids heavy. Sharing the loss and pain.

A deep breath reminded him of the burning scent that woke him up. The air stilled as he sampled it. Nezuko returned to her box as Tanjiro readied himself to find the source.

Walking through the dense underbrush wasn't easy in the dark, but his nose led him onward. A fire menat people, and people meant answers... and maybe some food. New scents made themselves known at the edge of his awareness: the cool dampness of a cave, the soft wisp of sweat. The burning smell became more prevalent too, enough for Tanjiro to recognize it, even at a distance, as a smoldering pile of embers rather than a writhing blaze. Then, another smell. One that he was achingly familiar with: blood. It was old but still subtly pervasive. Wary, his hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

He broke out into a small clearing at the base of a rocky cliff. A small fissure at the base formed a narrow alcove. A simple fire ring smoldered at the mouth. A deep breath to sample the air brought Tanjiro's attention to the thick waft of blood and sweat coming from the small cave. Something was hiding inside. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

Nezuko shuffled in the box as he took a cautious step forward, uncertainty lingering in the air.

"Who's there?" Tanjiro called.

No response

Steeling himself, Tanjiro crossed the clearing, inching himself towards the rock face in careful, balanced steps.

The soft rustle of cloth brushing against itself reached his ears.

Tanjiro scanned the back of the alcove, straining to see in the dim light. His hand tensed on the hilt of his sword.

At first, he didn't see anything, but as his eyes adjusted, his attention was snagged by... _something_... huddled in the back. It was white, that much he could tell. White an... human? The slope of shoulders wrapped in a dull banket was barely visible. Long white hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, draped over its right shoulder.

The sword was out of its hilt within a second. He remembered the 'pale spirit' talked about by the villagers nearby, and was certain this was it.

A quick sniff confirmed the worst: a demon.

The demon raised his head slowly, burning silver irises in a sea of inuman black peering out from under spiky, colorless bangs. The eyes almost seemed to glow as they pierced through Tanjiro, mentally picking him apart and sizing him up. A low growl rumbled in its throat. Its expression glinted with hunger. Something dark hid the lower half of the demon's face, even as Tanjiro's eyes adjusted to the low light. The scent of old blood clung to the demon like a thick cloud.

The two stared each other down, waiting for the slightest twitch to set them off. A small muscle in the demon's neck tensed. That was the only warning Tanjiro got before he was under attack. Crossing the small cave room in two steps, his sword flowed around the outstretched, clawed hand aimed at his heart.

The Opening Thread glinted in his mind's eye, taut and glistening. It would be over in a second.

A moment too late, he felt the presence of someone behind him. A foot caught his left side. The thread snapped.

Tanjiro's mind raced- _What was that? I didn't sense anyone else nearby? Why didn't Nezuko pop out to help?_ \- but he didn't have time to contemplate his lack of judgement. No, he was far too busy blocking the sword that was suddenly bearing down on his own throat. His eyes found the face of its wielder: a young man with wild, bright hair, glaring at him with determination.

_Another demon? No... He's human?_ Tanjiro was surprised. A quick sniff confirmed his suspicion.

"Drop your weapon." The newcomer said, voice cold. "Stand down and I won't kill you."

He was dumbstruck. What was this human _thinking?_ "What- you-!? Get out of the way! That's a demon! It's dangerous! I have to-"

Cold eyes narrowed, studying him. "I know what he is. And I know you're a Demon Hunter. Don't think that your rank will deter me." The stranger's blade inched closer. "I'm not gonna ask again."

Tanjiro's eyes quickly jerked back to the demon, certain that it would be lunging for him again. Instead, it had hardly moved. It stood, still snarling, frozen behind the stranger with a sword. He blinked, unsure of what exactly he had stumbled on. Was the demon using the human to lure in victims? He wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. He'd seen demons do worse.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to harm a human, especially one that was under a demon's thrall.

Tanjiro lowered his sword and disengaged, still eying the two people in front of him- well, one person and a demon. His eyes narrowed, searching the two. He would have to make sure his hypothesis was correct. "You are... protecting that demon." It was halfway between a statement and a question.

"Got a problem with that, Hunter? You're not the first person to come after us, you know. I wasn't lying when I said I'd kill you if you tried to hurt him. Shiro is all I have left and I'm not letting anyone take him away from me."

Tanjiro's eyes flicked over to the demon, still snarling but not moving any closer. It stood behind the newcomer, almost as if waiting for a command. He could finally see what the dark thing on the demon's face was: A thick band of leather and metal that covered its mouth. It finally clicked. A muzzle.

In front of him was a muzzled demon being sheltered by a human.

Something akin to recognition sparked in the back of Tanjiro's mind. He knew that fierce protectiveness in the other human's brown eyes. His thoughts flashed to the image of Inosuke trying to break open the box that Zenitsu was guarding with his life- then to the harsh memory of being bound by the Hashira, helpless to do anything as Shinazugawa stabbed Nezuko over and over and over. All that indignant and protective rage Tanjiro had felt... he could see it plainly in the other man's eyes. The familiarity was frightening.

Tanjiro did his best to clamp down on his surprise and... hope? Is that what he was feeling, fluttering in his chest? I was a foolish thought. But... were they like him and Nezuko? The demon had certainly seemed to obey the other person. "Who are you?"

The stranger thought for a second and Tanjiro worried for a second he would dodge the question. But the other seemed to sense the shift in the young Demon Slayer and responded, "Kurosaki Ichigo. That demon behind me is my brother, Shiro."

Brother. The word echoed in Tanjiro's mind. His head spun, aspirations of companionship slipping into the forefront of his thoughts. His eyes traced back and forth, suddenly realizing that the two looked almost identical, save for the demon's pale complexion and hair length. _Twins?_ But, there was something more pressing that needed to be addressed: "He reeks of blood." Nezuko had never hurt anyone- had never tasted the blood she should need to survive. The same couldn't be said for the demon in front of him.

The stranger- Ichigo- scowled, stealing a glance back at his brother. "That's- He hasn't killed anyone. Any blood he's had was given willingly." He heaved a sigh, and appeared to mentally say 'here goes nothing', "Look, I know I'm asking a lot for someone who was holding a knife to your neck, but I need you to trust me. Drop your sword. Shiro won't hurt you as long as you don't provoke him. Just leave us alone and we'll be on our way. Please." There was a note of desperation in the final word.

Another glare at the demon and he begrudgingly relaxed his battle-ready stance, though the tension in his shoulders remained.

Tanjiro gaped at what he was seeing, the two stood, gazes locked in a silent conversation. "I believe you." The words were past his lips before he could think about it.

Ichigo's eyes shot back to Tanjiro and narrowed, obviously not taking the declaration at face value.

"My name is Kamado Tanjiro. I... I believe you. I have a-" He caught himself before the word 'sister' could escape, the confrontation with Rui burned like a cut. How would these two react to that information? He wanted to build trust with them, but hesitation pulled at his mind. Lady Tamayo and Yushiro jumped in his thoughts. That would do. "I have met some other demons who were able to survive without killing."

"Tamayo?" Ichigo offered, as if reading his thoughts.

"You know her?"

Ichigo nodded, "Yeah, She... she helped me 'n Shiro out before." His brown eyes drifted away as he spoke.

Tanjiro got the impression there was more to the story, but didn't press the issue. He didn't want to be a hypocrite. That being said, his heart leapt at the mention of the demon doctor. If anything, the fact that they knew her was more proof that Tanjiro's trust was not misplaced.

Ichigo spoke, breaking the silence, "Are you alright?"

"Huh? Yeah, I-?"

"I wasn't asking you." He gave a sidelong glance towards Shiro, still unwilling to let Tanjiro out of his sight. In response, The demon rolled its eyes and made a few sharp, precise gestures with his hands. Content with whatever answer he got, Ichigo let the tension flow out of his frame. "Alright."

Tanjiro shook away his confusion at the exchange, he'd ask about it later. "What are you two doing out here, anyway?"

"Hunting." Ichigo stated plainly, moving to pick up a bundle of rabbits captured in snares. He must have dropped it during the attack. "I could ask you the same thing. You're the one who came bursting out of the woods and threatened my brother."

Oh. Right. "I received orders to follow the river. Lady Tamayo sent me."

There was another sigh from Ichigo. "Ah well, we can chat later. Sun's gonna be rising in not too long. Come on." Stomping out what was left of the fire, Ichigo and Shiro began pushing their way back into the underbrush.

"Where are we going?" Tanjiro asked, following behind the brothers.

"Home. Obviously. What, you didn't think Shiro and I lived in that little cave, did you?"

Tanjiro's response of "Well... I... uh..." sent Shiro into another eye-roll. A few quick gestures from the demon earned a soft laugh from his brother.

The trio made their way through the forest, Shiro in front, then Tanjiro, and Ichigo bringing up the rear ( _probably making sure I don't try anything_ Tanjiro suspected).

A few minutes later, they were spilling out in a different clearing with an old house standing proudly in the center. Tanjiro guessed it was beautiful once, the light polished stone probably acted as a stunning contrast to the dark, sloped roof. As it was, however, the entire facade had turned a grayish color from neglect. An old, faded sign was affixed to the door, the words 'Clinic' barely legible through the layer of dust and grime. Most of the windows had been boarded up, further lending to its abandoned feel. The modest structure itself looked solid enough at least.

The house was bracketed by a low fence and a couple rows of dead trees; some had been cleanly cut, others were practically ripped apart, even more showed signs of having been burned. Tanjiro didn't miss the way that Shiro glared at the skeletal branches as they walked past.

The door swung open smoothly and they stepped inside. Musk and the bitter scent of dried medicinal herbs tickled Tanjiro's nose.

"It's not much, but, uh, make yourself at home? You're lucky I was able to snare a few extra rabbits. Dinner will be ready in a bit." Ichigo scratched his head, lighting an oil lamp in the entryway. Tanjiro blinked, shocked at his hair. Even in the weak moonlight, Tanjiro had been able to see it was a bright color, but finally seeing the young man lit properly, he was a bit startled by how absolutely _orange_ it was. Orange and spiky. Even more so than Sabito's had been.

Tanjiro walked to the main room, glancing at the assortment of cushions scattered about a low table. He took a seat.

Ichigo nodded and stepped into the kitchen to begin prepping the rabbits. Shiro shot Tanjiro a cautious look before pulling out the thin black tie holding his hair back. He shook his head, letting the long, white locks fluff out into a mane of random spikes that fell halfway down his back. With another fixed glare at the demon slayer, he followed his brother into the kitchen.

Finally free of those inhuman eyes, Tanjiro relaxed and listened to the sounds of cooking.

In the kitchen, Ichigo scowled, focusing fully on the task at hand to avoid thinking about the close call earlier. He didn't often risk straying that far from home to hunt, but the population of rabbits closer to them had run scarce. Shiro was hungry and the availability of food for Shiro was directly tied to the availability of rabbits for Ichigo. Figures the night he ventured out would be the one time a demon slayer found them.

Shiro slipped into the kitchen behind him, arms crossed.

"What do you want, Shiro?" Ichigo bit back a growl of frustration.

'You're tense.' Shiro said with a few quick hand gestures.

Ichigo kept his voice a harsh whisper, not wanting to alert their new guest that they were talking about him. "Of course I'm tense! That demon slayer _attacked_ you! If I hadn't-!"

'Shut up.' Shiro narrowed his eyes, 'I told you before: _as if_ that little runt could kill me. Poor kid didn't even seem to realize what he was up against.'

"I don't know... He was pretty confident with that sword. He's no greenhand. If I hadn't gotten there..." He trailed off, unable to comprehend the thought of losing his brother.

Shiro was much less emotionally bothered. 'If you wouldn't have shown up I would've ripped out his throat and you know it. I'll break him like a twig if he tries again.'

They both knew that the promise held weight. "You know, if you threaten him it's gonna make him like you even less." Ichigo stated plainly, readying a pot of water to boil.

Shiro scoffed, 'Fine with me. I don't trust him for a second. The Demon Doctor sent him? _Right_. She knows better than to direct people our way. Not to mention he's hiding something in that box. Something alive. I know you saw it moving too.'

Ichigo couldn't argue with that. His keen eyes had indeed picked up on the tiny shifts the box made as if something inside were wiggling around. "So we both have secrets. Big surprise. As long as he's not holding a knife to your throat, I'm not gonna press him. Hopefully he'll be gone in a day."

'And if he tells other people about us? He seems the type to hold loyalty in high regard and he already pledged himself to the slayers. I bet first chance he gets, he's tellin' all the Hashira where we're camped out.'

"He said he believed us. I want to trust him." At the eye roll he received, he added, "Trust me, Shiro. If he makes a single move against you, he's gone."

Silver eyes narrowed as Ichigo returned to his cooking. The demon peeked around the doorframe, watching as the demon slayer innocently took in the room he was in.

In not too long, the three were sitting around the low table and digging into a plate of fresh rabbit meat and steamed vegetables.

"It's good!" Tanjiro exclaimed with a grin, before shoveling more into his mouth.

Sheepish, Ichigo rubbed the back of his neck, "Really? Cooking has never been my forte, Shiro makes sure to tell me whenever he can." He shot his brother a look, sure that his pale twin was smirking beneath the leather muzzle.

Tanjiro watched the exchange, heartstrings fluttering at the familial display. He could picture his own siblings acting out the same thing. He tucked more into his meal, hoping food would drown out the sudden sorrow. "He eats? Like, real food?"

"Sometimes. He's picky though. Can't ever get him to eat vegetables."

'Quit talking about me like I'm not here!' Shiro's frustrated gestures were lost on Tanjiro.

Dinner finished quickly and without much more discussion. Once the table was cleared, Ichigo returned with an assortment of items: a small stone mortar and pestle, a collection of dried plants, some hot water, strips of cloth, and a sword. The same sword that had been held at Tanjiro's throat mere hours before. He began to methodically grind the herbs into a pulp, adding water as needed.

Tanjiro frowned, mulling over Ichigo's earlier words about his brother being a picky eater. He was still very aware of the lingering scent of blood enshrouding the demon. "You said he hasn't killed anyone," He held his tongue before the word 'yet' slipped out. "How are you sure he won't?"

Ichigo barely glanced up to answer, "Because I'll kill him myself if he ever tries to and he knows it."

Shiro's silence spoke volumes.

Tanjiro was about to ask how he expected to do that when he finally took the time to really look at the sword on the table: a Nichirin Blade, glinting black like the darkest of night. Red peeked out from the hilt between black corded wrappings.

"You're a Demon Slayer too?" Just how many things did they have in common? Tanjiro wanted to know their backstory, but knew he couldn't just demand they tell him.

Ichigo cringed slightly, the movement not seen by Tanjiro. "Something like that." A certain finality was heavy in Ichigo's words. That was all he would be saying on that topic. "Alright." He said, setting down the poultice. "Let's get this over with." He leaned towards Shiro, who gave a low growl of anticipation. Deft fingers found the clasp at the back of the muzzle and unhooked it.

Shiro rubbed at his jaw, moving it around to work out the tension that had built up.

Tanjiro froze as the sharp, vicious canines came into view. He was about to ask how the green plant sludge would feed the demon when Ichigo picked up the sword and drew his left forearm along the sharp edge of it. The sharp tang of blood filled the air. The demon's reaction was instantaneous, jumping forward to drink from the wound.

Horrified, Tanjiro couldn't look away. The box on his back had gone very still.

Apparently not satisfied with lapping at the simple cut, Shiro bit down on the arm, causing a gush of hot blood to run down his face.

"Ow! Watch it!" Ichigo winced.

The agonizing minute stretched on. Tanjiro worried he was going to be sick.

Finally, the demon broke away and slumped back, blood still dripping down his chin, eyes glassy. He blearily wiped at the mess with the back of his hand.

Ichigo spread the poultice over the wound, quickly wrapping it in the length of cloth before the injury could bleed out more. He heaved a sigh. "What am I gonna do with you, Shiro?" He asked down at the demon that was steadily drifting towards unconsciousness.


End file.
